Reversing mechanism for locomotive and other engines.



PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

, G.`J.'MELL1N. NNVNNSING MNGNHANISM' PON LoooMoTIvE AND oTHBN ENGINES.

` APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 'L 1907.

EATENTEE MAY 7, 1907.

c. J. MELLIN. n v EEVEESING MEGEANISM EOE LoooMoTIv'E AND oTEEE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7. 1907.

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WITNESSES 1HE MORRIS PETERS co.. xvAsHlNaraN. o. c4

PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

y c. J. 'MNLLIN. RNVNNSINQMBGHANISM PoR LocoMoTIvB AND OTHER ENGINES.

APPLIOATIN FILED PEB. 7. 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET '3.

PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

y c. J. MELLIN. NEVNNSINGv MNGHANISM PoR LocoMo'rIvN AND OTHER ENGINES.

APPLIOATION FILED IBB. 7. 1907.

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PArEur Enron .si life CARL J. MELLIN, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK.

REVERSING IVIECHANISNI FOR LOCOMOTIVE AND OTHER ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 1907.

Original application filed December 5, 1906, Serial N ol 346,442. Divided and this application filed February 7, 1907.

Serial No.

To ir/ZZ wwrt 7115 nur/y concern:

Be it known that I, CARL J. MELLIN, of Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady and State of New York, have invented a certaink new and useful Improvement in Reversing Mechanism for Locomotive and other Engines, of whicn improvement the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for reversing the direction of movement of locomotive and other engines and varying the point of cut off therein, ordinarily known as reversing gears or reversing mechanism, and its object is to provide a mechanism of the above general type, which, While designed to be normally actuated by fluid pressure, shall be capable also of being manualljT operated, if desired, and in which the supply of operating fluid to the motor shall be effected by a manually actuated operating lever, and cut off either manually or automatically, in order to enable any valve actuating mechanism, or a plurality thereof, however heavy it or they may be, to be moved to the desired position for operation, by the engineer, applying the power of one hand only, and both the operating lever and the main lever through which the power of the motor is transmitted to the valve gear, to be locked, when moved to the desired position, both by engagement with fixed stops and by hydraulic pressure.

My invention is further designed to provide effective and convenient means for connecting the reversing mechanism with valve actuating mechanism mounted on a swiveling truck or bogie frame, in such manner that the transmission of movement to the valve actuating mechanism may be effected without disturbance or impairment by the lateral movement of the truck.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a reversing mechanism illustrating an embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2, a rear view, partly in section, of the main reverse lever, the operating reverse lever, and the reversing arm; Fig. 3, a side view, in elevation, of the main reverse lever, detached; Fig. 4, a similarview of the operating reverse lever; Fig. 5, a side view, in elevation and on an enlarged scale,

of portions of the main and the operating reverse levers, both being shown as latched or in locked position, Fig. 6, a similar view of the same, both levers being shown as unlatched or'in unlocked position, and the operating reverse lever moved out of line with the main reverse lever; Fig. 7, a similar view of the same, the levers being in the same positions, but the main reverse lever being unlatched and the operating reverse lever latched; Fig. 8, a rear view, on the same scale, of portions of the main and the operating reverse levers, both levers being unlatched; Fig. 9, a side view, in elevation, of the connections of the reversing mechanism with a valve actuating mechanism, illustrating the flexible joints thereof; Fig. 10, a transverse section through a lifting link and a plan view of a radius bar of the valve actuating mechanism., showing the universal joint connection thereof; Fig. 11, a transverse section, on an enlarged scale, through the ball joint of the lower end of the lifting link; and, Fig. 12, a longitudinal section through the same.

In the practice of my invention, I provide a main reverse lever, 17, which is fixed t0 a hub or boss, 17a, journaled in bearings located in convenient proximity to the position occupied by the engineer when operating the engine, as, for example, on or under the foot plate of a locomotive engine. The particular manner of mounting the hub is not of the essence of my invention, it being only essential that it be journaled so as to be movable, with the connected main reverse lever,

about its axial line, and this is, in practice,

most conveniently effected by securing it upon a reversing shaft, 18, fitted to oscillate in bearings in the ordinary manner. For convenience of construction, the main reverse lever is preferably, as in the instance shown, made in a separate piece from the hub, and connected thereto, and to the reversing shaft, by being fitted in a recess in an arm, 17h, projecting from the hub, and secured therein by bolts, 17C. A reversing arm, 18h, is also xed upon the reversing shaft, 1S, preferably by being formed integral lwith the hub, 17 a, through which it is connected with the main reverse lever, 17, its movements about the aXial line of the reversing shaft being thus caused to be coincident with those of the main reverse lever.

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The reversing arm, 18h, is connected by a reach rod, 18C, with one of the arms of a bell crank or double armed lifting lever, 22, which is journaled to oscillate about the axial line of a support at the junction of its arms, and is located in suitable relation to a valve actuating mechanism, and the other arm of said lever is connected, by a lifting link, 23, with the member of the valve mechanism which is to be moved in reversing or varying the point of the cut off, as, for example, the radius bar of a Walschaert valve gear.

An operating reverse lever, 24, is pivoted, by a pin, 24a, to the main reverse lever, 17 so as to be either movable therewith in an arc about the axial line of the reversing shaft, or independently movable about the axial line of its pivot pin, 24a. The operating reverse lever, 24, extends, downwardly below its pivot pin, and has an eye in its lower end nor mally concentric with the axis of movement of the main reverse lever, 17 to receive a pin by which it is coupled to a link, 25, for connection tothe distribution valves of a motor and a hydraulic cylinder, as presently to be described. The main reverse lever, 17, is connected, through the reversing arm, 18h, and a link, 18C, coupled thereto, with the piston, 30a, of a fluid pressure motor, 30, fixed to a suitable support in a plane parallel with the plane in which the reverse levers traverse, and, as above described, is connected, through the reversing arm and the reach rod, 18", with the valve actuating mechanism. Movement of the motor piston, 30'r1 in either direction, will, therefore, coincidently and correspondingly move the main reverse lever, 17, which, through its connections before described, will impart the movement to the member ofthe valve actuating mechanism which is required for reversing, or for varying the point of cut ofl". The operating reversing lever, 24, is coupled by links, 25 and 26, to an arm, 32a, on a three way distribution valve, 32, controlling the supply and exhaust of operating fluid under pressure to and from opposite sides of the `motor piston, 30, and to an arm, 33a, on a four way distribution valve, 33, controlling the traverse of substantially incompressible fluid, as oil, from one to the other side of a piston, 31a, working in a hydraulic pressure or locking cylinder, 31, in line axially with the motor cylinder, the piston, 31a, being fixed upon an extension of the piston rod, 30h, of the motor cylinder.

A quadrant, comprising, in the instance shown, two bars, 27, 27 a, curved concentrically with the reversing shaft, 18, is iixed side by side at a suitable distance above said shaft, the quadrant bars being provided with a plurality of notches or recesses on their upper sides, which are engaged by teeth on spring latches connected to the main and operating levers, for the purpose of maintaining said levers in the different positions in which they maybe adjusted in the opera? tion of the engine, similarly to quadrants used in ordinary ractice. Where, as in this instance, the main and operating reverse levers are set side by side, it becomes necessary to form the quadrant of two bars, one for each lever, but it will bevobvious that if the portions of the main and operating reverse levers which extend above the bottom of the quadrant are disposed in the same vertical longitudinal plane, that is to say, set one in advance of the other, as, in some cases, is more convenient and desirable, the quadrant need have only a single bar.

A spring latch, 28, having, on its lower side, one or more teeth, 28a, adapted to engage thevnotches of the quadrant bar, 27, is Jfitted to traverse vertically in a transverse recess in the main reverse leverv17, and a spring, 28h, itted in a lateral recess in the latch, acts, when unresisted, to force its teeth into engagement with the notches of the quadrant bar. The latch, 28, is coupled by a pin, 28C, to the lower ends of links, 28d, the upper ends of which are, in turn, coupled to a bell crank latch lever, 29, pivoted to the main reverse lever, 17 near its upper end. The movement of the latch lever in direction to withdraw the teeth of the latch from the notches of the quadrant, is opposed by a spring, 29a, connected at its opposite ends to the latch lever and to the main reverse lever, respectively. The pin, 28C, by which the latch, 28, is coupled to the links, 28d, also carries an interlocking plate, 34, which is connected/by bolts, 34a, to the latch, 28, and is provid ed, on its lower side, with a central interlocking tooth, 34h, and end stops, 34C.

A spring latch, 35, having, on its lower side, one or more teeth, 35a, adapted to engage the notches of the quadrant bar, 27 a, is

iitted to traverse vertically on the operatingreverse lever, 24, and a spring 35h, abuts against a plate, 35C, connectedto the latch, 35, and against an abutment, 35d, fixed on the lever, 24, and acts, when unopposed, to force the teeth of the latch, 35, into engagement with the quadrant, 27a. The latch, 35, is coupled, by a pin, 35e, to the lower end of a link, 35f, the upper end of which is, in turn,

Acoupled to a bell crank latch lever, 37, pivoted to the o erating reverse lever, 24, near its upper enc. The movement of the latch lever in direction to withdraw the teeth of the latch from the notches of the quadrant, is opposed by a spring, 35g, connected, at its opposite ends, to the latch lever and to the operating reverse lever, respectively.

Two interlocking stops, 36, are iixed on the operating reverse lever, 24, on the side thereof adjoining the interlocking plate, 34, of the main reverse lever, 17, said stops projecting below the plate, 24, as shown in Fig. 8, and being spaced at such a distance apart IOO IIO

as to permit the free vertical movement of the latch, 35, of the operating reverse lever between them in all positions of said lever, and to permit the interposition between them of the interlocking tooth, 34h, of the interlocking plate, 34, when, and only when, the main reverse lever and the operating reverse lever stand in line, as indicated in Fig. 5, in which position the two reverse levers are interlocked, and both may be latched or locked to, or both released from, the notches of the quadrant bars. In all other relative positions of the two reverse levers, the interlocking tooth, 34', will stand above, and be prevented from downward movement by, one or the other of the interlocking stops, 36, as indicated in Figs. 6, 7, and 3, and, consequently, the interlocking plate cannot be lowered to permit the latching or locking oi' the main reverse lever toits quadrant bar until the operating lever is moved into line with the main reverse lever, or vice versa, as shown in Fig. 5, to their normal center lines, when the interlocking tooth, 34h, is free to pass down between the interlocking stops, 36, and the downward movement of the latch, 28, which is required fory the locking of the main reverse lever, is thereby permitted.

In the operation of the reversing mechanism above described, when the engineer desires to reverse the direction of movement of the engine or to vary the point of cut ori, he first unlatches the operating lever by pressing on the latch lever, 37, which raises the operating lever latch, which, in turn, raises the main lever latch by means of a shoulder under the tooth, 34h, and then moves the operating reverse lever, 24, in the appropriate direction, until one of its interlocking stops, 36, abuts against the adjacent end stop, 34C, of the interlocking plate of the main reverse lever. This movement of the operating reverse lever, through the links, 25 and 26, and their connections to the respective valves, moves the distribution valve, 32, of the motor into position to admit motive fluid to the motor, 30, on the side of the piston thereof proper to move the main reverse lever and its connections in the desired direction, and move the distribution valve, 33, of the hydraulic pressure cylinder, 3l, into proper position to permit the traverse of luid in said cylinder, from one side of its piston to the other. The motor thereupon, through the link, 18e, and reversing arm, 1Sb,qmoves the main reverse lever, 17, and its connections, in the desired direction for reversing, or for varying the point of cut ofi", as the case may be. The pressure of the engineers hand on the latch lever, 29, of the main reverse lever, can be released as soon as the operating reverse lever is moved out of line with the main reverse lever, as such movement brings one of the interlocking stops, 36, underneath the the main reverse lever has been brought to the desired position, when the engineer moves the operating reverse lever into alinement with the main reverse lever, as indicated in Fig. 5, and releases the pressure of his hand on the latch lever, 37, of the operating reverse lever. The interlocking tooth, 34h, is then, by the pressure of the springs, 28h, and 29a, dropped into the space between the interlocking stops, 36, thereby interlocking the main and operating reverse levers, and the teeth of the latches of said levers are engaged with the notches of their respective quadrant. The movement of the operating reverse lever has previously actuated the distribution valves, 32 and 33, of the motor and hydraulic pressure cylinders, so as to cut ofi' the sup ply of operating fluid from the motor and to automatically lock the piston thereof by preventing the passage of the fluid from one side of the connected piston oi the hydraulic pressure cylinder to the other. The reversing mechanism is in this manner, firmly locked in adjusted position, both by the mechanical engagement of the latch teeth with the quadrant and by the hydraulic pressure in the locking cylinder, 31. The position of the distribution valves. 32 and 33, remains unchanged during the traverse of the interlocked main and operating reverse levers, as the aXis of the pin connecting the operating reverse lever, 24, and the link, 25, is substantially concentric with the aXis oi' movement of the two levers.

In case it is desired to actuate the reversing mechanism by hand, as in the event of any failure or derangement of the motor, the latch, 35, of the operating reverse lever, is moved out of the notches of its quadrant bar, and held out of engagement therewith in any suitable manner, as by interposing a block between it and a shoulder on the latch of the main reverse lever, or by inserting a pinand block under its lower ends. The main reverse lever can then be moved by the application of both hands of the engineer, without interference by, or manipulation of, the operating reverse lever.

My invention is specially and desirably applicable in locomotives of the articulated7 type, having two pairs or sets of cylinders, provided with independent valve actuating mechanisms and located at the front and near the middle portion of the locomotive, respectively, theforward cylinders being mounted on a front frame, constituting a truck or bogie which is pivoted to, and has the capacity of swiveling movement relatively to, a rear frame on which the rear pair IOO IOS

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' mechanism of the rear cylinders, is coupled,

by a forward reach rod, 18, to one of the arms of a bell crank or double armed lifting lever, 22, substantially similar to the lifting lever, 22, and journaled in suitable relation to the valve actuating mechanism of the forward cylinders, to a member of which valve actuating mechanism, as a radius bar, 21, it is connected by a lifting link, 23

In order to enable the movements required for reversing or varying the point of cut off to be imparted to the radius bar, 21, without cramping or binding of the connections or other disturbance due to the swiveling movements of the front frame which carries the valve actuating mechanism of which the radius bar, 21, is a member, the upper end of the lifting link, 23, is coupled to the lifting lever, 22, by a flexible joint which provides the capacity of movement in two directions, and the lower end of the lifting link is coupled to the radius bar, 21, by a ball or universal joint, so as to admit of twisting under the lateral movements of the radius bar while being prevented by the upper joint from turning the lifting link so as to wear against the sides of the jaw of the radius bar. rI`he joint at the upper end of the lifting link is preferably, as shown, formed by means of a block, 23", which fits in a jaw, 23, on the upper end of the lifting link, 23, a pivot pin, 23d, coupling said block to the jaw; and a pivot pin, 23, located at a right angle to the pin, 23, and coupling the block to the lifting lever, 22. rI'he universal joint at the lower end of the lifting link is formed by means of a pin, 23f,

which passes through the forks of a jaw, 2lb,

on the radius bar, 21, and fits in a ball or spherical bearing, 23g, which is, in turn fitted between a seat, 23h, and cap, 23, each of which is correspondingly curved, the cap, bearing, and seat being connected to the lifting link by bolts, 23k. It will be seen that by the flexible joints thus provided, the connection between the lifting lever and radius bar, and the normal movement of the latter by the former, will be unaffected by the lateral movements of the front frame, and also that there will be no tendency to undue wear between the lifting link and the radius bar. Y i

rI'he motor and hydraulic cylinder herein set forth and the combination therewith of the main and operating reverse levers and their accessories, are not claimed as of my present invention the same constituting the subject matter of a separate application filed by me December 5, 1906, Ser. No. 346,442.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a reversing mechanism, the combination of a main reverse lever, an operating reverse lever pivotally connected thereto, spring latches connected to the main and operating reverse levers with the capacity of movement longitudinally thereon, and means for interlocking said levers to permit the locking of the main reverse lever latch when, and only when, the two levers are in alinement, and to engage the operating reverse lever with the main reverse lever when the former is at either extremity of its arc of pivotal traverse on the latter.

2. In a reversing mechanism, the combination of a main reverse lever, an operating reverse lever pivotally connected thereto, spring latches connected to the main and operating reverse levers with the capacity of longitudinal movement thereon, an interlocking plate secured to the spring latch of the main reverse lever and having on its lower end a central interlocking tooth and end stops, and two interlocking stops projecting from the operating reverse lever in the plane of the interlocking plate and spaced at such distance apart as to permit the free vertical movement` between them of the central tooth of the interlocking plate and of the latch of the operating reverse lever, one of said-interlocking stops abutting against the adjacent end stop of the interlocking plate at each extremity of the arc of traverse of said lever.

3. In a reversing mechanism, the combination of a reverse lever journaled to move about a pivotal axis, a valve actuating mechanism lifting lever coupled thereto, a movable member, as a radius bar, of a valve actuating mechanism, a link coupling said lifting lever and movable member, a flexible j oint, movable in two directions, interposed between said lifting lever and link, and a universal joint interposed between said link and said movable member of the valve actuating mechanism.

4. In a reversing mechanism, the combination of a reverse lever journaled to move about a pivotal axis, a valve actuating mechanism lifting lever coupled thereto, a movable member, as a radius bar, of a valve actuating mechanism, having a aw adjoining its end nearer its arc of traverse, a link coupled at its upper end to the lifting lever through a Vfiexible oint which is movable in' two directions,l a pin passing through the forks of the aw of the movable member of the valve actuating mechanism, a ball or spherical bearing fitting said pin, a cap f1tting said bearing between the forks of the jaw, and connections securing said cap to theA lower end of the link.

5. In a reversing mechanism, the combination of a reversing lever journaled to move IOO IOS

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about a pivotal axis, a valve actuating mechanism lifting lever coupled thereto, a movable member, as a radius bar, of a valve actuating mechanism, a link coupling said lifting lever and movable member, a second valve actuating mechanism lifting lever coupled to the lifting lever lirst specified, a seoond movable member, as a radius bar, of a second valve actuating mechanism, a link 1o coupling said second lifting lever and movable member, a flexible joint, movable in two directions, interposed between said lifting lever and link, and a universal joint interposed between said link and said movable member of the second valve actuating mech- 1 5 anism.

CARL J. MELLIN.

Witnesses:

DAVID SHIRRELL, F. F. SoovLLLE. 

